Device for sealing fruit-jars



(No Model.)

. W. W. OSMOND.

DEVISE FOR SBALING FRUIT JARS.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM V. OSMOND, OF GREEN RIDGE, PEl\ll\lSYllVAI\TIA.`

DEVICE FOR SEALING FRUIT-JARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,921, dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed January 5, 1888.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM W. OsMoND, of Green Itidge, (Scrantom) in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania/have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Devices for Sealing Jars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for sealing jars or the like, and more particularly to that class of jar-fasteners employing a bail pivoted to the neck of the jar or other vessel and adapted to swing over the cover and clamp it, closing the mouth of the vessel by the aid of a locking-lever.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for sealing jars or other vessels, extremely cheap in first cost, easy and effective in operation, and simple in construction and easily repaired.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the combination, with a jar or other vessel and a cover for the same, of a springbail formed of a single piece of wire pivoted to the jar and adapted to swing over the cover, said bail being composed of a straight body portionto extend over the cover of the jar, a circular vertical spring loop or coil at each end of the body portion, and the arms which extend downwardly from the loops or coils and are pivoted to the jar at their ends, and a lockinglever formed of a single piece of wire, provided at its ends with eyes loosely embracing the central part of the body portion, said lever being provided with elbows to engage the cover of the jar; and my invention further consists in the combination of a jar or other vessel, a cover for the same provided with a boss centrally located upon its upper surface, said boss beingprovided with a pair of grooves or depressions in its upper face, a spring-bail composed of a body portion to swing over the cover, a vertical spring loop or coil at each end of the body portion, and the arms extending downwardly from the loops and pivoted to the jar at their lower ends, and

Serial No. 259,877. (No model.)

a V-sliaped locking-lever formed of a single piece of wire, the opposite ends of the wire forming the lever being bent to form eyes loosely embracing the central part of the body portion ofthe bail, the opposite or handle portion of the lever being bent upwardly between the elbows and the lower or closed end of the lever, whereby when the cover is clamped in position the elbows of the lever rest in the grooves in the boss and the lower end of the lever rests upon the upper surface of the cover, and a iirmer hold is thus secured for the lever.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete device, showing the vessel sealed; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a jar or other vessel, the fastening device being swung back and a modified form of spring-bail shown; and Fig. 3, a section of a jar and its cover, showing a side elevation of the boss on the cover, the lockinglever clamped in position.

In the drawings, the reference-letter A represents' a fruit-jar or other vessel provided with a cover or top, B, and with projections or an annular iiange, a, upon the upper outer portion of its neck. Upon the bottom or lower edge of the cover B is formed an annular bead or projection, m, which is adapted to enter and nt in a corresponding groove, n, in the top edge of the neck of the bottle, and thus form an air-tight joint and dispense with the rubber ring or packing usually employed. The upper surface of the cover B is preferably convex, and a circular boss, b, is centrallylocated upon the uppermost portion of said upper surface of the cover. This boss bis preferably provided with perpendicular sides or edges of the same height all around its periphery, and its upper surface is fiat and provided with two parallel grooves or depressions, b b', a suitable distance apart, and for the purpose which will hereinafter appear.

C represents a spring-bail, preferably formed of a single piece of spring-wire bent to form a horizontal or body portion adapted to extend over the cover of thejar, the wire at each end of the body portion being bent to form circular vertical. loops or coils c c. The wire is preferably looped but once at each end of the body portion, although it is evident that the loops of each coil can be more in. number, if

preferably bent downwardly and then upwardly, over, and again downwardly to form the loops in the same plane with each other and the body portion; but it is evident that the loops can be formed in planes at right angles to the body portion of the bail, as shown in Fig. 2. From the loops c c the ends ofthe wire forming the bail are bent downward, substantially at right angles to the body portion, to form the arms cl c2, which are bent inwardly at their lower ends to form the pintles c3 c, which are loosely confined in the eyes formed in the usual neckband or wire, c4. It will be readily seen that by forming the bail C with the loops or coils c c the spring and elasticity of the bail are greatly increased.

A V-shaped locking-lever, E, is pivoted at one end to the central portion of the horizontal or body portion of the spring-bail, and the opposite portion of the lever is adapted to engage the upper surface of the boss and the` cover when thejar is sealed. Thelocking-lever E is formed of a single piece of stiff wire or metal, which is bent U-shaped, so that the arms or legs of the U will be the samelength, The arms are then bent upwardly at about their middle portions, forming any suitable angle with the closed or U-shaped portion of th'e lever, (the angles being preferably less than a right angle,) thus forming a lockinglever V-shaped in side elevation and provided with the elbows e e at the bend in each arm or leg, and the ends of the wire are bent into loops, which loosely embrace the central horizontal portion of the bail, so that the lever can freely swing upon the bail.

vThe lower or closed arm of the V-shaped locking-lever is bent upwardly between the closed end of the same and the elbows of the V, so that when the cover is clamped in position the elbows will rest within the grooves b b', and the closed downwardly-extending end p of the ,locking-lever will engage the upper surface of the cover beyond the edge of the boss.

It will be readily seen that in operating my improved jar-*fastener the elbows of the V- shaped locking-lever form the fulcrum for the same and rest in the grooves b b in the boss, which grooves prevent the lever from slipping and hold it securely in position during the operation, and that when the lever is in locked position its elbows rest in the grooves in the boss, and the lower closed end of the same engages with the loclgs upon the upper surface v of the cover. rlhus it will be seen that the locking or engaging parts of the lever are the two elbows and the downwardly-curved closed end of the same.

The operation ofthe device being simple, it can be readily understood from the foregoing description and the drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a Jar or other vessel and a cover for the same, of a spring- ,bail formed of a single piece of wire pivoted to thejar and adapted to swing over the cover, said bail being composed of a straight body portion to extend over the cover of the jar, a circular vertical spring loop or coil at each end of the body portion, and the arms'which extend downwardly from the loops or coils and are pivoted to thejar at their ends, and a locking-lever formed ol a single piece of wire provided at its ends with eyes loosely embracing the central part of the body portion, said lever being provided with elbows to engage the cover of the jar, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a jar or other vessel, a cover for the same provided with a boss centrally located upon its upper surface, said boss being provided with a pair of grooves or depressions in its upper face, a spring-bail composed of a body portion to swing over the cover, a vertical spring loop or coil at each end of the body portion, and the arms extending downwardly from the loops and pivoted to thejar at their lower ends, and a Vshaped locking-lever formed of a single piece of wire, the opposite ends of which are bent to form eyes loosely embracing the central part ofthe body portion of the bail, the opposite or handle portion of the lever being bent upwardly between the elbows and the lower or closed end of the lever, whereby when the cover is clamped in position the elbows of theleverrest in the grooves in the boss and its lower end rests upon the upper surface ofthe cover, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix vmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM EV. OSMOND. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. FAATZ, JOHN WICKMAN.

ICC 

